2014 Respiratory Medicine Team

Mr Peter Dawson - MB BS BE PGDip MIEI MRCS

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Peter is a graduate of Medicine from the University of London, studying at St George's Hospital Medical School in London and Flinders University School of Medicine in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to studying medicine he graduated with an Engineering degree from NUI Galway and he has been awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Factors and Patient Safety from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. A trainee surgeon in Trauma and Orthopaedics, he has completed basic specialty training with RCSI. His strong background in engineering meant that medical devices and medical technology would always feature highly in his clinical research interests. In particular he has reported through presentations and publications the initial clinical experiences in Ireland with robotic surgery and a number of spinal surgery devices. Peter’s postgraduate research interests have also encompassed novel laboratory work with biomaterials for which he received an award from the Healing Foundation in London. He has further published work on the novel clinical use of bio-absorbable materials in paediatric orthopaedic surgery. Looking ahead to what he believes will be an exciting year, he expects to develop a very unique expertise in improving patient outcomes and patient safety through innovation.

Colm McGarvey - BSc Pharm MPSI

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Colm is a qualified pharmacist with over 18 years commercial and operational management experience in the retail pharmacy sector, having developed his career with successful Irish and multi-national companies. Colm graduated from Queens University Belfast with a BSc in Pharmacy and has also completed a Diploma in Financial Management. He has worked with Celesio, benefitting from exposure to many European markets and has gained significant experience across all aspects of the business from store and area management, through to retail development and strategic project management. Colm was appointed to the Board of Unicare Pharmacy in 2003 as Business Development Director. He has a track record of proven success in Corporate and Business Development, driving high value revenue and profit gains in M&A and new business start-ups. He successfully developed Unicare into the largest Irish pharmacy group with 74 retail outlets. He established and managed both the business development and property departments in the company. He led the setup of a Primary Care Centre development company and opened 10 successful centres nationwide. Prior to this, Colm held a number of senior positions in the company: Acquisitions & Business Development Manager, Property Manager and Area Manager. He started his career in Unicare as a Pharmacy Manager and Supervising Pharmacist. After 18 years of corporate life, Colm followed his strong desire to start his own business and established his consulting business. He is energised by a culture of innovation and is passionate about the application of technology in healthcare. Colm has travelled extensively. He is a sports enthusiast with a strong interest in GAA, mountaineering and ski touring, and competes regularly in road and mountain bike racing

Christopher Nelson - BS MS MBA

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Christopher Nelson has over 12 years of experience in medical device product development and project management with a deep understanding of customer needs, mechanical design, conceptual development, project leadership and design control requirements. Christopher's product development experience includes: hemodialysis, arthroscopy, spine implant/instruments and ambulatory acute pain infusion pumps. In addition, Christopher's medical device background is complemented by his education from the University of Florida; Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Master of Science in Systems Engineering and Masters in Business Administration. When he is not reading about the latest science breakthroughs, Christopher enjoys traveling and playing sports.

Dr Garrett Ryan - BEng PhD

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Garrett is a results focused engineer with both academic and industrial experience in medical device new product development. He graduated from National University of Ireland, Galway in 2003 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. He remained in Galway to pursue a PhD under the guidance of Prof. Abhay Pandit; 'The development of a bioactive titanium scaffold for orthopaedic applications'. He subsequently worked at Crospon Ltd in Galway, where he contributed towards the development of a gastro-intestinal hollow organ imaging technology. He left Ireland in 2009 and settled in Sydney, Australia. Over a 3-year period he held senior R&D engineering positions at Resmed Inc (respiratory care), CathRx Ltd (electrophysiology) and the Waterfall Commercialisation Group Ltd (visual prosthesis). Deciding to return home in 2012 he teamed up with Prof. Bruce Murphy at Trinity College Dublin to develop an endovascular local drug delivery catheter. Garrett is named author on 7 patent filings, has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and has presented his work at several international conferences. His goal in pursuing the BioInnovate programme is to assist his team in developing a unique, high potential medical technology. In his spare time Garrett plays hurling with his local team in Tipperary, he likes to spend quality time with his family and hasn't yet lost the travelling bug!

2014 ENT Team

Dr. Conor Farrell - MB BCh BAO DCH MICGP

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Conor graduated from University College Dublin Medical School in 2001. He has worked in many areas of Medicine and Surgery including Urology, Emergency Medicine, ENT Surgery and Paediatrics, and completed his Postgraduate Specialist Training in General Practice in 2006. He is a member of the Irish College of General Practitioners and holds a Diploma in Child Health from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow. Conor has worked in General Practice since completing his Specialist Training, and has run his own practice in Co. Mayo since 2011. He has a passion for innovation, medical devices, and the use of information technology in health care. Conor is looking forward to the BioInnovate Fellowship multidisciplinary team approach to the innovative process, and will use the skills gained to commercialise novel devices. He enjoys skiing, squash, travelling, and spending time with his family in the Mayo outdoors.

Dr. Brian Shields - BSc MSc PhD

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Brian graduated from NUI Galway in 2001 with a BSc in Information Technology. Following the completion of his PhD in Applied Computing, Brian worked in in a global consulting firm in London specialising in large scale technology implementation and business process outsourcing. For the last 3 years, Brian has been working in various project and programme management roles in the design and implementation of Connected Health products and services in Europe. Among these are the national telemonitoring service in Northern Ireland, a large chronic disease management service in Italy, and a patient engagement and medication adherence platform for a large global pharmaceutical firm. Brian is also completing an executive MBA programme in the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, having been awarded the 2013 Aspire Scholarship. Brian loves to travel, read, golf and cycle.

David Townley - BEng MSc PGDip IM PGDip SS

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David has over 12 years experience bringing multiple medical devices to market from concept through to commercialization within the Cardiovascular, Endosurgery, Orthopaedic and Opthalmology segments. David has held positions in research and development, project management, program management and as a technology consultant for SMEs and MNCs in Ireland, USA and Australia. He has undertaken roles of increasing seniority in new product development for organisations including; Clearstream Technologies, Boston Scientific, Creganna Tactx-Medical, Austofix and Ellex Medical. Most recently David has been focused on co-development and open innovation initiatives and has acquired postgraduate qualifications in Innovation Management (PG.Dip.) and Technology & Quality Management (MSc.). David received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from NUIG and is also a certified black belt in Six sigma (ASQ SSBB). In his spare time David enjoys surfing, golfing, skiing and running.

Michele Zhan - BS

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Michele graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Engineering in 2007. After graduation, Michele joined Conor Medsystems, a startup medical device company (acquired by Johnson & Johnson), working on the development of Drug Eluting Coronary Stent, mainly focused on Pre-clinical studies. She later joined CV Ingenuity as a R&D Engineer, working on Drug Coated Balloon (DCB) Catheters where she contributed to the development of several DCB coatings and platforms. CV Ingenuity was acquired by Covidien in 2013. In her spare time, Michele enjoys running, biking and outdoor adventures.

2014 Gastroenterology Mayo Clinic Team

Jonathan Bouchier-Hayes - BSc MBA

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Jonathan has extensive experience at senior management level in the medtech industry. He has spent the last fifteen years developing and commercialising new technologies. Throughout his career he has been involved in all aspects of medical device development from concept to market. Since 2010, Jonathan has worked for Irish start-up, Marvao Medical Devices, as Director of Business Development. Jonathan received a B.Soc.Sci. and an MBA from the University College Dublin. Jonathan's main motivation for applying for the BioInnovate Fellowship is the identification of clinical needs and finding solutions to these needs that can be developed and subsequently commercialised. Through the BioInnovate Fellowship Jonathan plans to leverage his varied skills and expertise to launch new medical device businesses, bringing novel solutions solving unmet medical needs to the market, for the benefit of patients and society.

Dr. Jimmy Eaton-Evans - BEng PhD

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Jimmy Eaton-Evans is a mechanical design engineer who graduated from the University of Limerick in 2003. He was subsequently awarded a PhD in 2006 for research conducted in collaboration with Boston Scientific (Galway) focused on experimental stress analysis of intravascular stents and balloons. This research formed the basis for his postdoctoral research in the field of stent graft design and analysis at the University of Oxford, where he spent two and half years. The project was focused on designing a highly durable, minimally invasive device using a nano-composite polymeric material and principles taken from deployable structures technology. Jimmy transitioned to a product development role at Fisher and Paykel Healthcare (Auckland) in 2009. He gained industrial experience working on a groundbreaking project to design a market leading and multi-award-winning device for the delivery of respiratory support to neonate patients in the acute care setting. Two years ago Jimmy returned to Ireland to join the design team at Aerogen (Galway). Working within this fast paced and highly innovative company, he has pursued best practices in product development to identify and target unmet user needs and deliver a number of new devices to market. Jimmy is passionate about improving patient care and outcomes and hopes to use the Bioinnovate process to identify new areas for innovation.

Dr Maura Kinahan - BSc BSc Pharm PhD MPSI

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Maura is a pharmacist with a broad range of experience in patient facing and industrial pharmacy. She initially studied for a degree in Industrial Chemistry at the University of Limerick. She commenced her career in the pharmaceutical industry with Élan Corporation in solid oral dose formulation research. She subsequently returned to education to study pharmacy at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow), qualifying in 1998. Following a PhD at The University of Manchester investigating the processing of biodegradable polymers using supercritical fluids, she worked as a senior pharmaceutical scientist in Bristol-Myers Squibb (UK). Most recently, she held a number of senior roles in Regulatory Affairs and Commercial Operations in Pfizer. She is a Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. She is particularly interested in innovation through the convergence of diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices leading to earlier diagnosis, improved patient care, and safer, more effective treatments. She is looking forward to acquiring new skills during the 2014 Bioinnovate Fellowship programme which will enable her to embark on a career in medical innovation.

Damien Long - BE MEngSc MBA

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Damien has over 17 years product development experience in the medtech sector having held R&D engineering roles at C.R. Bard, Boston Scientific and most recently Creganna-Tactx Medical. During this time, he has worked on the development and commercialisation of a wide range of minimally invasive devices for the cardiovascular and interventional radiology markets, including myocardial injection catheters, self-expanding and drug eluting stents, balloon angioplasty catheters, vena cava filters, thrombectomy catheters, AAA stent-grafts and introducer sheaths. Damien’s main professional interests and expertise lie in the areas of concept development, design control, and product commercialisation. A native of Galway, Damien graduated from Mechanical Engineering at NUI Galway and was subsequently awarded a scholarship to complete a research master’s in composite materials. In 2008, he obtained an MBA from Cairnes Business School at NUI Galway which strengthened his interest in innovation and entrepreneurship within the medtech industry. As a BioInnovate fellow, Damien’s goal is to capitalise on the world-class medical device development capability within Ireland to develop marketable technologies for improving user experiences and patient outcomes.

Dr. Clióna Murphy - MB BCh BAO DME MICGP

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Clióna is a medical doctor who graduated with Honours from Medicine, NUI Galway in 2006. She is a keen traveller and has also travelled extensively as a medic. Her electives and voluntary work have taken her, amongst other places, to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Zambia, and more recently to Panama to work with the Floating Doctors. Her interest in devices is inspired by this groundwork and her desire is to seek to improve global health through medical innovation. She has broad experience in hospital medicine including paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, accident and emergency, gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, oncology, radiation oncology, medicine for the elderly, psychiatry, general surgery and orthopaedics. Having completed the Cork Specialist Training Programme for General Practice in 2013, she is now a member of the Irish College of General Practitioners and holds a Diploma in Medicine for the Elderly from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Clióna has an active interest in Forensic Medicine and has completed the taught module of the Post Graduate Diploma in Forensic Medicine at University College Dublin. She has presented her research at European and World Conferences. In her spare time she likes to waterski, surfs, enjoys yoga and likes to cook.

2014 Boston Scientific Team

Dr Cyrus Doctor - BSc MBBS MRCS (Eng)

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Cyrus is a Trauma and Orthopaedic registrar with a special interest in medical device innovation. He graduated from Imperial College School of Medicine in 2007. He also completed an intercalated BSc in Medical Management from Imperial College Business School.

He became Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) in 2011 and in August 2013 he joined the East of England Deanery Specialty training program for Trauma and Orthopedic. He has an interest in surgical research and has several peer review publications in different areas of surgery. In August 2014, he deferred his clinical training in order to commence this fellowship program. Outside work Cyrus enjoys flying single engine aircrafts and founded a charity, Locum Heroes, in 2013.

Dr Fergal Horgan - BSc DIS PhD

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Fergal has over 10 year's experience in R&D roles responsible for medical device new product development. Having graduated from the University of Ulster with a BSc in Biomedical Engineering, he subsequently completed a PhD in Materials Science in the area of adapted textured surfaces for cellular response. He joined Boston Scientific in Galway as an R&D engineer working on the design and development of Boston Scientifics second generation of drug eluting stents (DES). Over subsequent years, he has played a lead role in sequential R&D DES programs resulting in the successful approval and launch of the PROMUS Element™, and most recently Synergy™ devices. Fergal is customer driven and has developed an extensive network in the physician community playing a key role in European MABs and customer facing events. His intellectual property track record is outstanding with multiple IP disclosures submitted and diverse patents granted over the years. He has strong competencies in preparing clinical justifications and technical communication strategies for regulatory bodies in multiple regions. When he’s not actively involved in the innovation of novel medical devices, he enjoys playing golf, travelling, and spending time with his family.

2013 Cork Team

Dr. Brendan Boland - MB MRCPI MICGP

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Brendan graduated with honours from University College Dublin Medical School in 2006. As an undergraduate, he completed a Bachelor of Medical Science as a concurrent degree and was awarded the Colman Saunders medal for Paediatrics. His enthusiasm for medical innovation grew during his time undertaking research on Alzheimer's disease at the Nathan Klein Institute, New York.

During his time in NYU Medical Centre and Penang General Hospital, Malaysia his interest in the cultural diversity of medical systems was further developed. As a post-graduate, he became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and also a member of the Irish College of General Practitioners. Brendan has spent time working as a medical volunteer in Kolkata, India and Meghauli, Nepal, where he experienced first-hand the importance of effective and cost-efficient medical devices and solutions. He has travelled extensively and continues to enjoy travel, as well as literature, Gaelic games, and horse-racing.

Mr. Gerry Clarke - BSc MBA

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Gerry has worked consistently in medical devices and diagnostics since the late 1970s, spending ten years in the USA industry sector during that time. He has had a number of increasingly responsible technical roles within Technicon, Sherwood Medical and C.R. Bard/Medtronic, most recently that of senior engineering manager within R&D at Medtronic. His expertise lies in process development, new technology investigation and product design methodologies.

He has several patents and trade secrets to his credit and has been charged with IP development at leadership level. A believer in team synergy, he is passionate about innovation that occurs at the boundaries of diverse disciplines. A musician and traditional music archivist in his spare time, he is looking forward to the challenge and opportunity presented by the BioInnovate program.

Mr. JJ Hancock - BSc

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Raised in London, JJ moved to Ireland after high school and studied Applied Biology and Biopharmaceutical Science at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. Upon graduation he completed a one year internship working in R&D on Drug Coated Balloon catheters at CV Ingenuity Corp., a start-up medical device company based in Fremont California. Towards the end of his time there, the company was acquired by Covidien. JJ continues to act as a consultant for CV Ingenuity/Covidien, working mainly on IP.

Mr. Yoav Olomutzki - BSc

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Yoav Olomutzki has a BSc Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University. Since his graduation, Yoav worked as an R&D engineer in early stage start-ups in the field of medical devices with a focus on cardiology.

In his most recent position, Yoav served as Chief Technical Officer in a start-up that he founded. The company develops a tool for pacemaker leads extraction with the technology based on a patent held by Yoav.

2013 Limerick Team

Dr. Leon Cavanagh - BEng (Hons) PhD

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Leon has extensive industrial and academic experience in the semiconductor field. He has worked for successful high-tech start-up and multinational companies and held a post-doctoral research position at University College London. He has published extensively in peer reviewed international journals and has filed 7 US Patents.In his most recent position as a Senior Design Engineer at US semiconductor company Silicon Laboratories, Leon had a lead role in the creation of environmental sensors integrated on a CMOS mixed-signal IC. This culminated in the product launch of a smart digital RH/T sensor completely integrated on a single chip; the device having domestic, industrial, consumer and medical applications. In 2012 Leon was presented by Silicon Laboratories with a technology leadership award in recognition of his contribution to technological innovation and his prolific volume of inventions. He was also responsible for setting up and managing a gas sensor research laboratory at the company.

During his 3 years at University College London Department of Chemistry, Leon had a principal role leading to the development and patenting of new NOx and CO2 sensor technology with potential medical applications, while adding to his publication record and teaching experience.Leon has a proven track record in the commercialisation of research, having been part of two successful start-up companies. He was one of the first employees at ChipSensors Ltd. which was acquired by Silicon Laboratories in 2010, and was part of Integral Design Ltd. which was acquired by Xilinx in 2000.In 2005 he was awarded a PhD for his work in the development of an artificial olfaction system (‘electronic nose') from the University of Limerick, and he obtained his degree in electronic engineering in 1999.One of Leon's current goals is to further investigate the potential fusion of smart sensor semiconductor technology and biomedical devices for future diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare solutions.

Ms. Rhona Hunt - BA Industrial Design

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Rhona graduated from Carlow Institute of Technology in 2006 with an Honors Degree in Industrial Design, having previously studied an Ordinary Degree at Sligo Institute of Technology. She has worked for over five years with Bio-Medical Research (BMR) in Galway. Bio-Medical Research is a medical device company that specializes in muscle rehabilitation and pain relief. Throughout her work in BMR she has gained a wealth of experience in Class I and II Medical Device Design. With a particular focus on usability, Rhona has devised several innovative solutions for BMR's body worn electronic devices that include a Lumbar Support Device and an Incontinence Treatment Product in her portfolio. Rhona focuses on a hands-on approach to design, implemented through prototyping and user trials. To add further improvement to usability she designs visual instructional manuals. She has had the opportunity to work on projects with UCD, SIT and also has had involvement in Clinical Trials. Throughout her time at BMR she has found a love for bio-medical science and wishes to add the BioInnovate programme as an extra dimension to her career.

Rhona believes that exposure to real life clinical issues will be invaluable to the the design process that will take place within the programme. She hopes that with her new colleagues, through user-centered design they can have a profound effect on patient's physical, mental and social well-being. Rhona keeps an active lifestyle partaking in team sports and swimming. She loves art, architecture and travelling.

Dr. Kevin Kelleher - BEng MSc PhD

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Kevin holds a degree and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from NUI, Galway. His PhD research brought him to the University of Strathclyde where he worked in the biomechanics lab, developing a number of ambulatory interventions for people with multiple sclerosis. While there, he also completed an MSc in Technology Entrepreneurship. Having joined IDA Ireland in 2008, Kevin spent time in both the Dublin and New York offices, seeking to promote Irish life science research capabilities to American multinational companies.

He has also worked in the Irish multinational, Trulife Ltd., both as a Materials Engineer and Group Research & Innovation Manager. In his most recent role in Trulife he has been responsible for generating a pipeline of novel, innovative medical products that help to distinguish the company from its competitors, while ensuring a focused approach to both product development and marketing. Kevin believes that with on-going technological advancements, there will always be alternative ways to treat patients, resulting in vast opportunities for the commercialisation of novel, high-value medical device concepts.

2013 Galway Team

Eoin Bambury - BEng MSc MIEI CEng

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Eoin has over 12 years experience in R&D roles of medical device new product development. Having graduated from Dublin City University in 2000 with a BEng in Mechatronics engineering he joined Caradyne Ltd. in Galway as systems engineer working on design and development of non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) respiratory equipment. In 2004 he was awarded an MSc in Bioengineering from the University of Limerick having completed the studies on a part time basis. He transferred to Respironics Inc. California, USA after Respiroincs acquired Caradyne in 2004. At Respiroincs, he worked as senior engineer in the R&D team developing non-invasive multi-therapy respiratory equipment. In 2006 he returned to Ireland to join Crospon Ltd. working as principal engineer in the R&D group on gastro-intestinal hollow organ functional imaging and transdermal drug delivery applications. Eoin has contributed to the development of five electronic medical devices currently on the market and is a named author on six patent filings. Eoin was awarded 'Chartered Engineer of the Year 2012' from Engineers Ireland.

Dr. Kyle Halligan - MB BCh BAO MS

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Kyle has experience in both frontline and clinical medicine, bench to bedside clinical research as well as product development. He graduated in 2003 from the University of Connecticut (CT, USA) with a B.S. in both Molecular Cell Biology & Physiology and Neurobiology. He worked as a Chemist in the Research and Development lab of Spartech Polycast (CT, USA) hich included original patentable ideas and medically implantable plastics. He furthered his science background with a M.S. in 2006 in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of New Haven (CT, USA). He continued the work of his novel research proposal at Yale Medical Center (CT, USA) in the Breast Cancer Research Unit. His lab work included identifying genetic biomarkers of disease in preserved samples previously thought to be unusable. His lab time was split between managing clinical trial correlatives.

Prior to medical school matriculation and during his academic breaks, he worked as a first-responder advanced emergency medical technician in the largest city and metro area in Connecticut. A UCD medical graduate, his undergraduate training included many USA hospitals as a visiting medical student including Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and the Yale-affiliated Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut. He aims to utilize the BioInnovate programme to develop exciting tools to aid the clinical fields of Emergency, Medicine and beyond. He enjoys the outdoors and travelling to new places.

2013 Whitaker International Fellow

Ms. Michelle Tsai - BS MS

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Michelle graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in Bioengineering. While pursuing her degree, she developed a microfluidic device to emulate the microvasculature of the human body, resulting in 2 publications and a patent application. She also helped design, prototype and test a stem cell delivery device to treat Parkinson's disease. She then worked at a management consulting firm for just under 2 years focusing on sales strategy, deployment, and operations for several global pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Last summer, she did some development work on a surgical device with an early stage startup, Prescient Surgical, out of the Stanford Biodesign fellowship program. She is pursuing a Master's degree in Bioengineering at Stanford University where she has completed the Biodesign innovation course, during which her team identified an unmet need in lumbar punctures, generated prototypes, filed a provisional patent, developed regulatory and IP strategies, and presented a preliminary business plan. She has also spent the last year learning about mechatronics and building robots. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, adventures in the outdoors, and good food. Michelle will be based at NUI Galway for her Fellowship.

Mr. Moshe Zilversmit - BS

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Moshe has been developing medical devices for 8 years. He was one of the founding members of Chest Innovations where he led the company in the development of thoracic surgical devices for the treatment of lung cancer and emphysema. Prior to Chest Innovations he held R&D positions at academic and early stage medical device companies where he was responsible for the development of innovative medical technologies in the urology, anesthesia, orthopedic, gynecology, and cardiovascular arenas.

Upon returning from a trip to Tanzania along with his passion to bring healthcare to those residing at the bottom of the pyramid, Moshe cofounded Evolving Technologies, which develops medical devices to meet the needs of patients and physicians practicing in emerging markets. In his spare time Moshe enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, climbing mountains, and world adventures.

2012 Galway Team

Ms. Caroline Gaynor - BSc(Pharm) MSc MPSI

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Caroline graduated with a degree in Pharmacy from Trinity College Dublin in 2002. Initially she gained experience in the areas of Community Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs before joining Bayer Healthcare in 2005 as Oncology Product Manager. In 2010 she moved to the role of Market Access Manager for the pharmaceutical division of Bayer Healthcare in Ireland and subsequently became part of the pharma senior management team.

Caroline has an M.Sc in Pharmaceutical Medicine from Trinity College Dublin and is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. Through the BioInnovate programme Caroline hopes to use the knowledge she has gained over the last 10 years in the Pharmaceutical Industry to help develop cost-effective innovations that will ultimately improve efficiency in healthcare and enhance patient related outcomes.

Ms. Cassandra Harn, BSc, MS

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Cassandra recently completed her Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University in Chicago. While pursuing her degree she spent a semester working in Global Health Technologies in Cape Town, South Africa. Her project while abroad was focused on a novel technique for breastmilk flash-pasteurization to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In addition to this project she completed an internship with CapeRay, a small start-up that is developing a multi-mode mammography machine for more powerful breast cancer screening. Prior to her graduate studies, Cassandra earned her BSc from Montana State University in Mechanical Engineering.

In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, skiing and travelling. Cassandra will be based in NUI Galway, at BioInnovate Ireland office for the duration of the Fellowship.

Mr. Ashwin Kher - DipFM EMBA

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Ashwin is a MBA graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has over ten years industry experience in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors, working in the areas of business development and commercial management. Ashwin has worked for a number of blue chip multinational organisations, including Pfizer, CR Bard and Smith & Nephew.

He specialised in the therapeutic areas of cardiology, urology, radiology, oncology and wound care. This has given Ashwin direct experience across all levels of the healthcare sector including clinical and commercial areas. Ashwin has received several awards for his performance, including the prestigious Pfizer Leadership Award. Prior to this, Ashwin established his own e-commerce and V.L.E. IT Company in Northern Ireland, working with organisations such as the University of Ulster and the Princess Grace Foundation. He is a member of the ACCA, MRII and MBAII and holds a Diploma in Financial Management.

Dr. Chris McBrearty - MB BCh BAO BSc DRCOG MRCP(UK) MRCPI

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Chris graduated from medical school at NUI, Galway in 2006. As part of his undergraduate training he was a visiting medical student at two renowned medical institutions in the USA, The Cleveland Clinic and The Mayo Clinic. Following his internship he completed a BSc in International Relations (London School of Economics), prior to completing basic specialist training in internal medicine at Galway University Hospitals.

He is a member of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and the UK and also holds a Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists. Chris has a keen interest in health and social development in Africa and was instrumental in the instigation and development of a number of public health initiatives in Ghana and Nigeria. Through his work in West Africa he has seen the importance of affordable, cost-effective medical devices for use in resource-poor settings.

In his spare time, he is a keen swimmer and runner. He has travelled widely and enjoys capturing cultural diversity through photography.

Mr. Kiel McCool - BE

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Kiel holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from NUI Galway and previously worked with Design Services at Creganna-Tactx, Galway. Design Services is a design and development hub that create, develop and manufacture medical devices. Over the past five years Kiel has been leading the design of next generation minimally invasive devices. He has been guiding projects from concept through design verification, clinical trials and on to manufacture. He believes that a flexible team focused on Design for Manufacture are key to creating cost effective medical devices.

The BioInnovate program attracted Kiel as it presented an opportunity to meet other medical device professionals looking to create new medical technologies. He is looking forward to the clinical immersion module of the program and is eager to work with medical personnel and patients alike to learn and understand their everyday difficulties. Kiel enjoys an active lifestyle with interests in GAA, rugby and diving.

2012 Limerick Team

Dr. Conor Harkin - MB BCh BAO MBA MSc MRCS

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Conor has experience in both clinical medicine and business. He graduated from Trinity College Dublin Medical School in 2000 and spent six years working in clinical medicine. He completed the West of Ireland Basic Surgical training scheme and was awarded the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. He subsequently was a Specialist Registrar in Diagnostic Radiology based in Southampton General Hospital, UK.

Though retaining a passion for healthcare, he developed a keen interest in business and spent a year working with Goldman Sachs in London. He furthered his business education by pursuing a full time MBA at IE Business School Madrid where he was a Foundation Scholarship recipient and graduated in 2008. He then worked with the European Investment Fund in Luxembourg and was involved in the investment of over EUR 250m in venture capital and private equity funds throughout Europe.

He recently completed an MSc in Health Informatics from Trinity College Dublin.

Ms. Sarah Loughney - BE

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Sarah graduated from University College Dublin in 2004 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation she was awarded a six month scholarship at Florida Institute of Technology, where she worked on projects with NASA and the United States Air Force. Sarah then shifted her focus to the medical device industry, where she has gained 6 years of experience in diverse and challenging roles. In 2005, Sarah began working as a Research and Development Engineer with Medtronic, Galway, on next generation cardiovascular devices. In 2008, Sarah joined Novate Medical Ltd., a start-up company developing an original inferior vena cava filter.

In 2010 Sarah moved to Renishaw Ireland Ltd., Dublin where she worked on the development of stereotactically guided, deep brain delivery systems for therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Most recently, Sarah has broadened her experience in the medical device industry working in a Design Control Quality Systems role with Boston Scientific, Galway.

Mr. David Brody - BE MSc

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David graduated from NUI Galway with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and took up a position as a product & process development engineer with Creganna-Tactx Medical. Working both in Ireland and internationally, he has led teams to develop novel minimally invasive medical devices. In 2010 David joined HeartSine Technologies, where he worked on the clinical and preclinical evaluation of their products. Additionally, he managed an atrial fibrillation research project and was selected to present his work at numerous international conferences.

As a means of consolidating his entrepreneurial skills and complementing his engineering and clinical background, David has recently completed a MSc. in Business Development and Innovation in the University of Ulster. He passionately believes that successful medical device innovation benefits from collaboration between industry and academia. Through his participation in the BioInnovate Ireland fellowship 2012 he hopes to acquire new skills which will enable him to contribute to the development and commercialisation of innovative biomedical products.

Mr. Michael Morrissey - BSc MSc MBA

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Michael has a broad-range of experience and expertise within the Medical Technology sector. He previously worked in the primary and secondary healthcare environments, pharmaceuticals (Chanelle Pharmaceuticals & Novartis) & medical devices (Boston Scientific Corporation & Medtronic) industries in varying roles and functions with increasing responsibilities from Medical Sales, Research & Development to Regulatory Affairs. Hailing from Ahascragh in Co. Galway, Michael completed an MSc in Biomedical Science (2001) and an Executive MBA (2012) both from NUI Galway.

Most recently, while working in Medtronic, he supported a wide variety of global Medical Device and combination product approvals. This work included supporting US Investigational Device Exemptions, EU Clinical Investigations, US, EU and global product registrations. Michael is keenly interested in the development of novel treatments and technologies plus the convergence of technologies to deliver appropriate care.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys the outdoors via mountain biking, running, skiing and travelling.

2011 Galway Team

Mr. Wayne Allen - BSc MBA

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Wayne has extensive experience at senior management level in the medtech industry; he spent seven years in the US working for orthopaedic market leader Synthes Spine, where he led the development and commercialisation of several innovative spinal surgery technologies. Since 2007, Wayne has worked for Irish start-up, Vysera Biomedical, occupying various roles; from project managing the company's first CE marked product, to new product, market and business development.

Wayne received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Limerick and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Wayne's passion for finding solutions to medical problems that can produce significant improvements in people's quality of life motivated him to apply for the BioInnovate Fellowship. His specific interests within the biodesign process are cost-effective innovations that can be efficiently brought to market.

Mr. Colin Forde - BTech

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Colin is a graduate of the University of Limerick with a Bachelor of Technology in Manufacturing Technology. His career to date has involved working closely in medical device product design, development, validation, CE marking and manufacture. Colin has always been centred at the cutting edge of the R&D departments of successful medical device companies such as Medtronic, Clearstream Technologies and for the last seven years in the Design Services department of Creganna Tactx.

At Creganna, Colin quickly progressed to the position of Senior R&D Engineer. Currently, he leads specialised teams to provide a range of customers, from clinicians to start-up companies, with specific product solutions to meet their needs. Professionally, the innovation space suits Colin very well. One of his many skills lies in liaising with healthcare professionals, interpreting their requirements and providing them with solutions. However, the Bioinnovate programme appealed to Colin because it will allow him to work with other like-minded professionals from different disciplines to develop solutions for currently unmet clinical needs. On a personal level, the clinical area of cardiology also motivated him to apply for the programme. Colin believes strongly that Ireland has the knowledge and resources to be the leader in medical device technologies worldwide. Colin is a sports enthusiast and regularly plays hurling and soccer.

Dr. Waqar Aziz - MB BCh BAO MRCPI

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Waqar graduated from medical school at NUI Galway in 2007. After having completed his internship and subsequent basic specialist training in internal-medicine at Galway University Hospitals, Waqar has also successfully completed examinations for the Membership of The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and also the UK.

The BioInnovate Fellowship experience has enabled Waqar to gain valuable perspectives from professionals delivering at the forefront of the medical device sector. Waqar will commence specialist cardiology training in Kent, Surrey and Sussex in the UK from October 2012. "I intend to carry forward the BioInnovate learning and will have an active academic research interest in medical device innovation as well as a long term career goal of working as an interventional cardiologist."

In his spare time, he is an avid cricketer, playing for both Galway County and NUI Galway Cricket Club.

Ms. Marie Travers - BSc MSc MICS

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Marie is a software engineer with over 10 years of industry experience as a software designer and also experience in teaching IT. The BioInnovate Fellowship programme opened new opportunities for Marie to research where Software and Healthcare sectors converge. The Fellowship Programme's innovative delivery has benefited Marie in her current role as a doctoral researcher with Lero. Lero, the Irish software engineering research centre, has raised the level and profile of Irish software engineering research that it is now one of the best known and highly regarded SE research centres in the world. Marie, a native of Co. Limerick, holds a degree in Information Systems, a Masters in Computing in Education from the Limerick Institute of Technology and also a masters in Software Engineering from the University of Limerick.

2011 Dublin Team

Ms Vicky McGrath - BE MSc MBA

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Vicky McGrath is a seasoned business professional with 15 years' experience in the medical device and diagnostics industry. Most recently she was co-founder and Head of Business Development at Argutus Medical where she was responsible for fund raising, strategy, planning, development and commercialization efforts. Prior to Argutus, Vicky worked in operational and consulting roles at Abbott Labs, Biotrin International and Sabratek Corporation.

Vicky holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering from UCD, an MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and an MBA from the Smurfit Business School. Vicky is particularly interested in further building the medtech industry in Ireland and bringing to market novel solutions to improve patient outcomes and healthcare affordability and accessibility. Through the BioInnovate program Vicky plans to leverage her varied skills and expertise to launch new medical device businesses, bringing novel solutions solving unmet medical needs to the market, for the benefit of patients and society.

Mr. Kevin Moore - B. Comm, LL. B.

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After completing a B. Comm and then an LL. B. degree at NUI Galway, Kevin spent seven years working with MG. Ryan and Co. Solicitors. During that time he advised a large number of firms and drafted and negotiated many commercial agreements on behalf of corporate clients including start up companies. Kevin also completed the Professional Practice Course at the Law Society of Ireland.

Prior to commencing the BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship, Kevin worked as an auditor of legal practices. He is interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation. The Fellowship offers Kevin the opportunity to participate in the Innovation process and gain exposure to the medical technology industry as well as develop his interest in technology transfer and commercialisation.

Dr. Liam Mullins - BE PhD

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Liam graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from NUI, Galway in 2002. He worked as a manufacturing engineer before starting a PhD in orthopaedic biomechanics at NUI, Galway in 2003. In 2005 he attended UC, Berkeley as a visiting scholar where he continued his research. Throughout his PhD Liam conducted analysis and testing of medical devices and materials for industry. Liam published four articles from his PhD research and has continued research into the behaviour of Nitinol devices.

Upon completion of his PhD research in 2007, Liam joined start-up Veryan Medical in Galway where he has been central in the design of technologies to treat vascular disease. He has held roles with responsibilities in device design, animal trials, clinical trial design and biostatistics, finite element analysis, fatigue, manufacturing, patenting and market analysis. Liam is an inventor on four filed patents.

He has also consulted for a number of medical device companies and clinicians on the design and analysis of medical devices. Liam was drawn to the clinical immersion aspect of the BioInnovate fellowship, and the opportunity to identify and critically analyse potential business opportunities. His career goal is to be a leader in the field of medical devices/technologies. Liam is a keen surfer, enjoys playing guitar and travelling.

Dr. James McGarry - BE, MB BCh BAO, MRCS, PhD

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James has an interest in the application of engineering to medicine that began as an engineering student with an award-winning thesis on the biomechanics of cardiovascular stents. He subsequently undertook a PhD at the Trinity Centre for BioEngineering with research periods in nanoscience, cell biology and bioengineering laboratories. Convinced that dual training in engineering and medicine would yield a unique and valuable platform for innovation in healthcare, he chose to study medicine following completion of his PhD.

Since graduation he has gained clinical experience in surgical posts, and was recently awarded the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons examination. As a doctor and bioengineer, the BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship is a unique opportunity to utilise his prior training, but also yields a new range of skills in the process of medical device innovation that are invaluable to his long-term goals. Ultimately he intends to specialise as an interventional radiologist and remain actively involved in developing minimally-invasive devices that enable better clinical outcomes for patients with less morbidity, and in doing so make a positive contribution to the medical device industry and Irish economy.

Finbar Dolan was most recently Managing Director of Arc Devices Ireland and was previously Director of Operations for Lake Region Medical and has held senior executive positions in Product Development, Research and Development, Engineering and Operations Management in the Medical Device and Chemical Industries over the past 20 years, notably with Lake Region Medical, Medtronic, CR Bard and the Dow Chemical Company. Finbar has a proven track record in product and technology R&D and delivering enhanced people and organizational development strategies to support R&D, Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement and was part of Lake Region Medical's Senior Management Team which was the first medical device company to receive a Shingo Award for operational excellence in Europe. He is a former Director of the Irish Research and Development Group, a former Chair of the Irish Medical Device Industry Association’s R&D group and the Technology Commercialization subgroup of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland. Finbar is also a past Chair of Engineers Ireland’s West Region Division and its Biomedical Division. He has also served on the Engineers Ireland’s Executive and Council. A Chartered Engineer, Finbar holds degrees from Athlone Institute of Technology (BSc), Trinity College Dublin (PhD), and the National University of Ireland, Galway (MBA) complimenting his strong background in materials science, manufacturing engineering research and operations within the biomedical device industry

In 2003, Paula graduated from Trinity College Dublin as an Occupational Therapist. She presents with 13 years of varied clinical experience in both the public sector & private practice. As a Senior Occupational Therapist, she has worked in a variety of settings; hospital, community & educational. Paediatrics has been predominantly her area of expertise & she has played a pivotal role in developing paediatric services in Galway. Paula has gained extensive postgraduate qualifications in Sensory Integration, Postural Management, Assistive Technology, Autism and Movement disorders (DCD & Cerebral Palsy). In addition to her clinical experience, Paula assumed the role of Acting Paediatric Occupational Therapy Manager for HSE-W Community Paediatric Services in Galway.
Paula has experienced a diverse range of international healthcare systems through her clinical work & post graduate training & successfully secured sponsorship to work in Australia to develop rural and outreach paediatric services. She lectures & provides training workshops on various topics to universities to the faculties of medicine, allied health & education. Paula is excited to work in an environment that fosters innovation, joining a diverse expert team & having the opportunity to potentially design future medical device technologies. In her free time, Paula enjoys keeping fit and active and travelling.

Ana is a Medical Doctor, trained in one of the top ranked medical schools in Latin America (Unifesp - Paulista School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil), who specialises in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has several years of clinical experience as a consultant physician along with a strong academic background, both in medical education and research. Ana has extensive experience of both the Brazilian private and public health systems (working in some of the leading hospitals and clinics in the country) and also the military (she is a First Lieutenant Military Police Medical Officer - Reserve), where she chaired the High Risk Pregnancy Service of Sao Paulo’s Military Police Hospital. She has tutored all levels of medical students and residents and is also a published academic author. Her most significant research was carried out with the First Trimester Screening Group at Unifesp, of which she is one of the founding members. Throughout her career her focus has been on using high-level technology and complex procedures to provide state-of-the-art medical care in an array of settings, as well as developing new techniques while training some of the best professionals in the area. Ana moved to Ireland in 2015 and started a deep dive in Digital Healthcare. In her spare time she loves quizzes, films, cooking and traveling the world.

John has over 8 years of experience in the product and process development of Medical devices. Having graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mechatronic Engineering from Napier University Edinburgh, John spent a short period with Intel before moving to Advant Medical to pursue a career in the Medical device sector. During his time with Advant Medical, John has worked in the design and development of automated equipment for medical device assembly. He was also responsible for several technology transfers to Low Cost Countries. He worked on the product and process development of Class 1, 2 and 3 medical devices for both Multinational and Startup customers, progressing projects right the way through to commercialisation. In December 2015, John completed a specialist diploma in the Design for Medical Technologies at University of Limerick. With both a personal and professional interest in medical innovation, John feels that a user experience design approach, practiced during his time at University of Limerick will be fundamental in developing long lasting clinical solutions. John is looking forward to embracing the challenge of the Biodesign process, where he can be part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team to identify and truly understand the clinical problem in order to reach a lasting solution. To do this, John will use a combination of skills, experience, integrity and principled entrepreneurship to bring value to his co-workers, customers and patients. In his spare time John enjoys cycling, weight training and catching up with family and friends.

Andrew is an engineer and an academic, with a strong background in research commercialisation. During his undergraduate degree he double majored in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Queensland. After graduating with First Class Honours, he then received an Australian Postgraduate Award and went on to complete a PhD in Tissue Engineering at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. Whilst in the final stages of his PhD, Andrew received a Commercialisation Training Scheme Grant that enabled him to complete a Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation. This provided the opportunity to work as a commercialisation analyst intern for one of Australia’s largest technology transfer companies, UniQuest, while also equipping him with a broad understanding of various elements of technology innovation. Upon completing his PhD, Andrew was offered a postdoctoral role in the Tissue Engineering Research Group in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), which is one of the largest regenerative medicine research groups in Ireland and has a strong focus on translational research. As a research fellow within RCSI, Andrew was primarily responsible for driving the technical and commercial development of a thin-film, collagen-based material for corneal regeneration. Under the supervision of Prof. Fergal O’Brien, Andrew ensured the progression of the technology from early conceptual stages, through to the development of a prototype material that has undergone preclinical in vivo testing and is continuing to progress on the path towards commercialisation and clinical implementation. In his spare time, Andrew likes knitting and cooking on the barbeque.

Sinéad is very driven and passionate about discovering unique and sustainable solutions to address some of the biggest needs in healthcare. She studied mechanical engineering in University College Dublin, where she later graduated with a Masters of Biomedical Engineering. During her degree she worked as an intern with Vasorum and also studied medical sciences at RCSI. Since then, she has held multiple positions within Stryker Instruments across their R&D facilities in Co. Cork and the United States. Her experience includes working on research, new product development, and manufacturing, with specific focus on design thinking and procedural innovation. Sinéad has worked on the launch of multiple products focused on cutting technologies for orthopaedic and neuro applications.
In her spare time, Sinéad likes to stay active with swimming, cycling and yoga and also loves to travel.

Siobhán has over 15 years commercial experience in leading multinational companies including ICON Plc, Novartis, Wyeth and MSD, operating at both national and regional levels. She has extensive experience in strategy development, brand leadership and people management during periods of transformational change such as mergers and organisational restructuring. She commenced her career in clinical research when she joined ICON Plc in Sydney and upon returning to Dublin she was responsible for completing feasibility analysis and developing proposals for global clinical trials in multiple therapeutic areas. Most recently, as Sales & Marketing Lead in MSD, Siobhán established a new business unit for the fertility franchise across the Nordics, Baltics, UK & Ireland. In tandem, she returned to academia to complete an MSc in health policy & health services management in Trinity College Dublin. Her dissertation focused on the partnership between the health, academic and enterprise sectors in healthcare innovation. Siobhán graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a BSc in pharmacology and subsequently completed an MSc and PhD in cell biology and cardiovascular pharmacology respectively. In addition, she has completed postgraduate studies in food innovation and entrepreneurship in Galway Mayo Institute for Technology and Public Relations in the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. Siobhán is passionate about health and wellbeing and the ability of food, medicine and technological innovation to save and improve the lives of patients and their families. In her spare time, Siobhán enjoys travelling, music gigs, food and interior design, especially mid century furniture.

Having graduated from University College Dublin with an honours degree in Commerce, Alice completed a Masters degree in ECommerce in Bentley University in Boston. Over the following 10 years she has worked in a number of positions in the financial services sector including fund management, product development, compliance and investment for both the retail and private banking market. Always passionate about great, innovative, functional design, Alice has trained as a tailor, milliner and a goldsmith and is registered with the Craft Council of Ireland and the Irish Assay office. A stint volunteering in an African hospital inspired a change of career and after some time working with a medical charity, Alice decided to study medicine. Since gaining a medical degree she has worked in Nephrology, Plastic Surgery and Emergency Medicine. Alice is excited to be taking part in the BioInnovate fellowship. Through the process she hopes to use existing skills of commercial business practice and combine them with her knowledge of medicine. Through this structured creative process she wants to deliver better healthcare and improve the patient experiences and outcomes.

Michael is curious! And having visited many A/E Departments with rugby injuries he always wanted to know what went on behind the curtains in hospitals. This curiosity lead Michael to become a nurse and he started his training in 1994. Michael qualified as a registered general nurse in 1998 from St. Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin. He commenced working in the operating theatres and gained valuable insights into surgical care and the technical aspect of same, he spent 5 years in this area and during this time gained valuable experience in general, Genito-urinary, vascular, ENT and orthopaedic surgeries. He became involved in haematology and oncology at St. James Hospital where he added medicine to his knowledge of operating theatres and finished his nursing career in 2006 with gerontology. Shortly after finishing nursing Michael began his studies of Law at Griffith College Dublin where he graduated with an honours degree with a specialist interest in intellectual property. Following his graduation Michael became involved in the medical devices industry and worked as a product specialist with a custom surgical kit manufacturer and was responsible for all clinical aspects of the companies work and also in design of bespoke surgical drapes and angiographic consumable equipment. During this role he was the clinical lead in development of a medical device involved with operating room lighting systems. He then moved to a more education focused role with a large multinational pharmaceutical company and was responsible for educating clinical staff on the use of medication management systems, during this time he also developed intravenous consumables that directly answered clinical needs in the operating room. Michael then became involved in distribution of medical devices with large Irish distributors and had responsibility for bringing a new range of enteral feeding products into the Irish market, to assist with market penetration he developed a training programme with royal college of surgeons. He has also invented a medical device directly related to naso gastric feeding. Michael is a family man and enjoys showing his family the benefits of an outdoor lifestyle, he builds and paddles Canadian canoes in his spare time and also manages to keep a rose garden free of greenfly.